At the time of the writing of the earlier post, Saab had an uncertain future. It looks like it will share the fate of the Volvo cars division; it is likely to be bought by Chinese car-makers.

In most industries throughout the 20th Century, innovation and distinction sold products. Manufacturers were not afraid to try different things. Some concentrated their efforts on customer experience, others on safety, others on simplicity, and some others on practicality or price. These days most products have merged these aspects and are built for consumption in a disposable way. There isn't that much difference between a Mercedes and a Lexus. Maybe cup holders? Swedish cars, traditionally renown for their safety are not any safer than Japanese cars. In the same classes, pretty much all cars are the same. Despite that, branding is still strong. Branding has become a deception based on past glory, rather than innovation or distinction. Brand blindness is no longer only a consequence of marketing or pricing mistakes. If you build bland products, in due time, it will not matter how well they are branded.